October 9, 2025. The Levski veterans lost 2:3 against Vitosha in Bistrica. The result for ordinary onlookers and spectators is not so strange, nor is the fact that for the tigers two goals were scored by the member of the Board of Directors of… the blues, Hristo Yovov. And the fact that throughout the match there is only one person in the away sector who supports the team like a true ultras. Doing it just like we did over 30 years ago.
08.08.1996. Levski’s fans could hardly have guessed that he would become something special. But it was meant to be, even though on that very day their favorite team was losing. There are two “eights” in the date. And the number 8 is a symbol of infinity, characterized by honesty, coolness, stability, security and financial well-being. Qualities that a beardless young man, who has not yet turned 19, will demonstrate and develop over time.
That’s how Dimitar Ivankov, born on October 30, 1975, stood at Levski’s door for the first time. He did it in the away game of the preliminary round of the National Cup Winners’ Cup tournament in Ljubljana against the local Olimpija. The blues again itch the “skiers”, as they did two years earlier. However, the situation of “Gerena” is different – most of the stars who participated in the crazy American summer, which is a chance for a young generation from school, are gone. Ivankov starts because Plamen Nikolov is serving a red card against Aalst last season and reserve Krasimir Kolev is injured. In the 51st minute, Mitko capitulated after a shot by Kliton Bozgo – 0:1.
In the second leg, Ivankov is again in goal, and the attack is led by another product of the blue school – Iliyan Simeonov with the strange nickname Chushka. It was he who met a cross with a back scissor and scored a spectacular goal. The visitors took things to penalties, where Ivankov made a brilliant save to save Djuranović’s spot-kick. Before that, however, Todor Zaitsev and Nikolay Todorov make fatal mistakes and the spectators see déjà vu from the first interception against the Slovenians. However, the shots from the white point will still mark the fate of Ivankov, who becomes a specialist in reflecting them and a master of scoring them!
The matches in question only tarnish the psyche of the boy from DYUSH, who goes on the field literally from sector B. And it becomes a continuation of the long-standing tradition of Levski’s youth standing under the frame, making a name for himself, and then defending the honor of Bulgaria.
Read the entire analysis of Yanaki Dimitrov in today’s issue of “Tema sport“.
* the title is on Gol.bg